Cape Epic 2023: Beers-Blevins win time trial and get closer to Scott-SRAM in the general classification

Beers-Blevins set the fastest time in the time trial and won their fourth stage victory of this edition. The victory brings them closer to Schurter-Frischknecht who, although they keep the yellow jersey, lose 2 minutes and 23 seconds. The Germans Egger-Baum were second and the fight for the overall is even tighter.

Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne wins the stage again and Scott-SRAM resists the offensive

After two hard days of more than 100 km won by the Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne Beers-Blevins pair, today it was the turn of the time trial: 47 kilometers with 875 meters of elevation gain. A route through Oak Valley and Paul Cluver without huge climbs but with many short and steep slopes.

The prediction was that the three squads following Scott-SRAM in the general classification would have to attack to close the gap to Schurter-Frischknecht.

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The first of these teams to take part in the time trial was the Beers-Blevins pair. This was followed by the Wilier Pirelli Factory of Rabensteiner-Alleman, the Orbea x Leatt x Speed Company of Egger-Baum and the yellow jerseys of Schurter-Frischknecht.

Egger-Baum, who had already warned that they would give it their all, showed their hunger right from the start of the race when they set the fastest time at km 10, when they cut 1 minute and 20 seconds off Scott-SRAM.

The situation changed at km 17. Beers-Blevins were then the fastest riders, although the Germans Egger-Baum - 17 seconds behind - were still close behind. This trend continued at km 21: Beers-Blevins in front, Egger-Baum 20 seconds behind and the Scott-SRAM gap was almost 2 minutes.

The differences were neutralized between the fastest teams of the day. Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne and Orbea x Leatt x Speed Company almost matched the times at the halfway point of the race. For their part, Schurter-Frischknecht were still almost two minutes behind at km 28.

Equality was again in evidence as the riders entered the final stretch of the day. Just 5 seconds separated Beers-Blevins from Egger-Baum at km 34.

The balance tipped in favor of Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne with six kilometers to go. The gap to Egger-Baum was 20 seconds.

At the finish, Beers-Blevins once again set the fastest time of the day and claimed their fourth stage victory. Egger-Baum set a time 20 seconds slower, but they are still very much in the fight for the overall, as they also cut significant time with Schurter-Frischknecht.

The yellow jerseys saved the day and kept the overall lead, although they only have an advantage of 1 minute and 11 seconds over Egger-Baum. Third place for them in today's stage and, in any case, they keep the first position in the overall for another day.

Cape Epic 2023 Men's Category Results - Stage 4

1. Beers/Blevins (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne) 1:45'09"
2. Egger/Baum (Orbea x Leatt x Speed Company) +22"
3. Schurter/Frischknecht (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing) +2'23"
4. Seewald/Stosek (Canyon Northwave MTB) +4'15"
5. Rabensteiner/Alleman (Wilier Pirelli Factory) +4'46"
6. Joubert/Du Toit (Imbuko TypeDev) +4'48"
7. Huber/Schneller (Bulls Heroes) +6'26"
8. Herrera/Mejia (Pedregal-7C-Economy) +6'58"
9. Bou/Muñoz (Cannondale VAS Arabay) +6'59"
10. Becking/Dias (BUFF Megamo) +7'19

Overall classification Men's category Cape Epic 2023 - Stage 4

1. Schurter/Frischknecht (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing) 15:20'31"
2. Egger/Baum (Orbea x Leatt x Speed Company) +1'11"
3. Beers/Blevins (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne) +5'16"
4. Rabensteiner/Alleman (Wilier Pirelli Factory) +7'19"
5. Seewald/Stosek (Canyon Northwave MTB) +19'03"
6. Vakoc/Stutzmann (Canyon Northwave) +27'59"
7. Buys/Miller (PYGA Euro Steel) +28'13"
8. Huber/Schneller (Bulls Heroes) +30'35"
9. Porro/Nibali (Italian Friends) +30'57"
10. Bou/Muñoz (Cannondale VAS Arabay) +33'26"

Le Court-Looser's Efficient Inifity Insure dominates from start to finish to win the time trial

Le Court-Looser started strong from the beginning and set the fastest time at km 10. Gomez-Nash followed them at 40 seconds and Wakefiled-Lill at one minute. The Efficient Infinity Insure riders put more ground to make up at the 17 km mark: the gap to both pairs was already over a minute.

The kilometers passed and the Le Court-Looser duo became stronger as the day progressed. The lead with Gomez-Nash was already a minute and a half at km 21.

Even so, the Efficient Inifity Insure riders' comfortable lead of seconds was threatened when Looser went to the ground. A crash without major consequences from which they recovered quickly to continue without almost losing time with the incident.

In fact, the gap remained the same past the halfway point of the time trial and increased slightly at the 34th km mark. For their part, Gómez-Nash lost pace and were more than three minutes behind.

The lack of legs on their direct rivals was evident when Wakefield-Lill reached and overtook them.

In the end there were no surprises and the time trial went to Le Court-Looser. The Efficient Inifiniti Insure riders were the fastest from the start, although they still have a significant gap to the overall leaders.

Wakefield-Lill assert their advantage in the overall and complete another great day in which they will go to sleep again with the orange jersey.

Cape Epic 2023 Women's Category Results - Stage 4

1. Le Court/Looser (Efficient Inifity Insure) 2:09'32"
2. Wakefield/Lill (e-FORT.net) +2'52"
3. Gómez/Nash (NinetyOne-Songo-Specialized) +5'13"
4. Steinburg/Calderón (Cannondale Vas Arabay) +14'44'
5. Keseg Stevkova/Krahulcova (8capital) +14'55"
6. Keep/Preen (Valley Electrical) +14'59"
7. Wohlters/De Villiers (Bester Performance) +19'55"
8. Venter/Johnson (Deeka Vivo Vita) +24'36"
9. Hill/Harmzen-Pretorius (She Untamed) +24'53"
10. Povey/Hanekom (Echo Pentest) +26'10"

Overall classification Women's category Cape Epic 2023 - Stage 4

1. Wakefield/Lill (e-FORT.net) 18:58'09"
2. Gómez/Nash (NinetyOne-Songo-Specialized) +10'42"
3. Le Court/Looser (Efficient Inifity Insure) +16'29"
4. Steinburg/Calderón (Cannondale Vas Arabay) +1:37'03'
5. Keseg Stevkova/Krahulcova (8capital) +1:41'55"
6. Keep/Preen (Valley Electrical) +1:51'56"
7. Wohlters/De Villiers (Bester Performance) +2:07'11"
8. Hill/Harmzen-Pretorius (She Untamed) +2:08'50"
9. Venter/Johnson (Deeka Vivo Vita) +2:22'59"
10. Povey/Hanekom (Echo Pentest) +3:33'14"